Question for the seasoned aruba travelers

[mattnewhampshire]

We're working on becoming a seasoned traveler and always looking to save a few bucks so...
We're thinking of bringing plastic liquor bottles along in the checked bags along with some extra frozen meats.
I'm assuming the bottles should be fine, but will the meat stay pretty frozen on an 8 hour total journey (including driving to airport etc)??

On a related topic, on the way out of aruba you can get 6packs of Balashi for 5 bucks, any way to get duty free on the way to?

Any other suggestions in this area is appreciated!

[~Amy~®]

Originally Posted by mattnewhampshire

but will the meat stay pretty frozen on an 8 hour total journey (including driving to airport etc)??

We brought frozen Omaha steaks with us a couple of times. They are shrink-wrapped but we still wrapped them in aluminum foil and then put them inside a small cooler bag (the small ones that you use for taking your lunch to work.) By the time we arrived at the resort, checked in, and pulled them out of the suitcase...they were still hard as a rock.

[Kenny Maine]

Did you pack anything else in the cooler to help keep the steaks frozen? I like the idea!

[~Amy~®]

Originally Posted by Kenny Maine

Did you pack anything else in the cooler to help keep the steaks frozen? I like the idea!

Nope, just the steaks wrapped in aluminum foil. I thought for sure they would be a little thawed out by the time we got there but they were still frozen. I like the fact that the Omaha steaks are shrink wrapped (less to worry about as far as leaking.)

[Arubalisa]

Originally Posted by mattnewhampshire

On a related topic, on the way out of aruba you can get 6packs of Balashi for 5 bucks, any way to get duty free on the way to?

No duty free anything can be purchased in Aruba on the way IN.

You can purchase duty free from your departure airport in the US, however as we know, they will not sell Balashi.

http://www.aruba.com/forum/f33/customs-37169/ additional info

[lemarier]

Hi Matt

Being South of the NH border (Methuen) we always bring our own alcohol into Aruba (or anywhere we travel) - you cannot get prices cheaper than the NH State Liquor Store even if it is duty free. With that being said, we use to purchase plastic bottles but have found something we hope will be better - haven't used yet but have them ready to fill for our trip to Aruba September 26th

http://www.rumrunnerflasks.com/flasks.aspx

[Boofer]

Take a collapsable cooler along with you so you can buy your own beer at the grocery store and take it with you to the beach. We also bring our own rafts and they inflate them there for us-we leave them for others when we depart the island. Our next trip, we are thinking if we have any "extra room" in the suitcases (LOL) we might put in some bags of potato chips, snack type things and take them along with us too-hubby loves his snacks. We took wine with us in the past, but after looking in the grocery stores there, I found out that I paid just about exactly the same amount at home for my wine as they were charging in Aruba. So no more wine in our suitcases. Not sure where you stay, but Paradera Park Apartments and Sunset Beach Studio's are both fantastic really reasonable priced places to stay.

[silverfox82]

Perhaps I can clear up a bit of confusion about "duty free" Countries that collect duty (most do) on products that are imported have a provision that exempts certain items that don't actually enter that country but are turned around such as in the airport to departing passengers. When you buy a product in a duty free shop in the US it only means that the US has not collected a fee since it wont be consumed in the US. That in no way exempts that product to duty levied by, in this case, Aruba. Also on the return to the US anything purchased duty free in Aruba is still subject to US duty fees. So as to your question about bringing booze to Aruba you are allowed 1/5th gallon per person, any more can be assesed a fee. In the past they rarely checked but I have read on various boards that they might be stepping up enforcement but don't personally have first hand knowledge of that. I know it's tempting with the great prices at the NH state stores and I wouldn't hesitate to bring a starter bottle down until you get to the store but I don't think more than that would be worth the hassel of packing, carrying and possible fines or confiscation in Aruba, oh, they don't export balashi. They have some good specials in the supermarkets on beer and wine, I would just go with that to save some florins.

[Tom and Karen]

We are bringing steaks on our next trip. The grocery store I purchased from is keeping them in their freezer at -40 degrees. We will pick them up on our way to the airport and have a cooler inside our checked luggage. Our total trip time is about 12 hours.

[Andrea J.]

we too have brought frozen stuff and it always arrives frozen.
we have brought frozen steaks and sliced tureky breasts.

everything arrives great
andrea